Being a single-workin’ mama of a 4-year-old gal, that little s-word certainly likes to pop up from time to time. I’ll be brutally honest – when we roll up to home after the 5 o’clock hour as I lug backpacks, groceries, and my camera gear up our stairs and Cadyn is tugging on me begging for a sweet snack or repeatedly asking when she can go to Jump City – i do feel like my head is going to blow up. But, BUT, there is always a solution…Breathe.

Yoga has always been an outlet for me, but in the last year I’ve incorporated meditation in my lifestyle, which has really been the game-changer. An opportunity to calm the mind, sit in gratitude and breathe. It gives me a sense of clarity, peace and abundance of love. It allows me to keep calm in times of chaos or discomfort. My yoga practice and meditation is a sacred time, and I try my best to make it a priority every day.

You’re thinking, “She’s kidding, right? How do you make meditation a priority, and maintain calm in a household with any child under the age of 4… Joke.”

Well get this, a friend of mine recently introduced me to Moksha Yoga which offers kids yoga classes during the same time as the adult yoga class. I get to practice with some of my favorite yoga instructors while Cadyn learns about breathing, balance and her body in her very own yoga class (insert wide-eyed, confetti, clapping emojis here). Amazing.

Though the struggle is definitely real and Cadyn gets in her 4-year-old mood swings often, we now have talking points and tools to use together that we picked up in yoga. The benefits of taking these classes are phenomenal…and here they are: The Three B’s:

The three B’s:

BODY

I love that Cadyn is building strength, but more than that I LOVE how she is learning to use her body in healthy way, tapping into her moves and making modifications to best suit herself. Nothing in yoga is a competition, it’s a personal practice that challenges on an individual level.

BALANCE

Building concentration and focus in certain poses require balance. Patience is something we can ALWAYS work on, and we definitely work it in yoga.

BUDS

Community and fellowship that comes with yoga is amazing. Some of my most valuable friendships have blossomed from yoga. It fills my heart to know that Cadyn is having that same experience. She is consistently eager to meet new friends in class and never complains about her time spent in that room.